How To Pronounce 'Frohe Weihnachten' in German

The most common way to wish someone a merry Christmas in German is to tell them, "Frohe Weihnachten." Directly translated, that means merry Christmas. 

The German language tends to follow its rules pretty well when it comes to pronouncing a word. Once you memorize the rules, it'll be easy to know how to say something you read, even if it's a new word. 

Until then, here are some tips on how to properly wish someone a "frohe Weihnachten" in German.

Pronunciation Tips

• Make sure to not pronounce the "h" in either word. The "h" is silent, if not a very subtle breath. 
• Make sure that the dipthong "ch" is gutteral. This is different than the English pronunciation of a "ch." This is best to hear, rather than explain in words. 

Each word has a separate audio link.

Listen here: Frohe Weihnachten

Other Holiday Greetings

Here are other common greetings during the holiday season. Each word is linked with an audio guide on how to pronounce it. 

Fröhliche Weihnachten: Merry Christmas

Frohes neues Jahr: Happy New Year

Alles Gute zum neuen Jahr: All the best for the New Year

Other Holiday Words and Phrases

Here are some other useful holiday words and phrases, without the audio.

Fröhliches Hanukkah: Happy Hanukkah

Die Grüße der Jahreszeit: Season's greetings

Der Weihnachtsmann kommt: Santa Claus is coming

Gluhwein: Mulled wine (popular in Germany over the holidays)

Weihnachtsmarkt: Holiday/Christmas market (a popular tourist activity in Germany over the holidays)

Der Engel: The angel

Die Christbaumkugeln: Christmas ornaments

Die Glocken: Bells

Die Geschenke: Gifts